But Dr. Max Taquet, National Institute for Health Research academic clinical fellow and one of the authors of the study, said the results show long Covid affects a significant proportion of people of all ages. “We need appropriately configured services to deal with the current and future clinical need,” he said.
Dr. Amitava Banerjee, a professor of clinical data science at University College London who was not involved in the study, said this finding is “yet another arrow in the quiver against bogus ‘this is just like flu’ claims.”
The symptoms people experienced varied, and many patients experienced more than one. Older people and men were more likely to have breathing difficulties and cognitive problems, whereas young people and women reported more headaches, abdominal symptoms, anxiety and depression.
The authors stressed that although the number of such incidents was higher among the elderly and those with more severe initial illness, people who had suffered a mild disease, children and young adults also experienced long Covid.
The accompanying data showed that as many as 46% of children and young adults between the ages of 10 and 22 had experienced at least one symptom in the six months after recovering.
This risk of long Covid highlights why is it so important to protect children and young people from the coronavirus, even though the study said most don’t suffer from severe illness.
The next key question is whether parents will want to get their kids vaccinated. Parents of 5-to-11-year-olds are split on the issue, with 44% saying they are likely to do so and 42% saying they are unlikely to, according to poll results from Axios-Ipsos published Tuesday.
YOU ASKED. WE ANSWERED.
Q: What is the best time to get flu and Covid shots this year?
READS OF THE WEEK
Turkmenistan claims it hasn’t had a single Covid-19 case. Activists say that’s a lie
Turkmenistan has not seen a single case of Covid-19 since the pandemic began, according to its authoritarian government.
The central Asian country is one of at least five states that have not reported any coronavirus cases, according to a review by Johns Hopkins University and the World Health Organization.
Independent organizations and activists outside Turkmenistan say there is evidence the country is battling a third wave, but President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov is thought to be playing down the threat of Covid in order to maintain his public image.
Diana Serebryannik, director of Rights and Freedoms of Turkmenistan Citizens, an exile group, said the organization’s contacts in the country said hospitals were struggling to cope with a rise in cases.
According to Serebryannik, the official cause of death in these cases is not listed as Covid-19 or pneumonia — instead medical certificates record separate conditions, such as a heart attack.
Here’s what to expect when the US opens its borders
Travelers will be required to show proof of vaccination and a negative test taken within three days prior to the trip. But they should also be prepared to navigate shifting — and confusing — health regulations and protocols that differ from state to state.
Prices are expected to rise for tourists, and there will likely be staffing shortages due to Covid. So, no matter where they’re headed, travelers must stay as flexible and informed as possible.
Here’s how other governments are tackling low vaccine uptake
In Germany, vaccines remain voluntary, but authorities have been stepping up measures that make life increasingly inconvenient for those who haven’t been inoculated. The German Health Ministry has announced new rules that mean unvaccinated workers will no longer receive compensation for lost pay if coronavirus measures forced them into quarantine.
Meanwhile, France and Italy have introduced mandatory Covid health passes for entry to premises including bars, restaurants, cinemas, theaters, and many other public spaces. The passes show proof of vaccination, a negative Covid-19 test or of past infection.
TOP TIP
Encourage your teens to get vaccinated
There is still a misconception that the disease only affects the elderly and vulnerable, but evidence has shown this is false.
Talk to your teens about the benefits of getting the vaccine and explain that while they are far less likely than adults to suffer serious disease or to die from Covid-19, they can still catch it and pass it on.
